Brands like Kellogg’s, Greggs, and Nestlé have become key players in providing breakfast clubs, nutrition education, and healthy eating campaigns. While these efforts are often framed as corporate social responsibility, experts are questioning the ethics of such partnerships as childhood obesity rates continue to climb.
An organization sponsored by McDonald’s, Mars, and Nestlé shouldn’t be within 100 miles of children’s food educationExperts argue that such partnerships risk normalizing unhealthy products and shifting the focus of health education from systemic issues to personal responsibility. May van Schalkwyk, public health expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, describes these initiatives as “subtle but very problematic.
However, critics highlight the risk of “reputation laundering,” where brands use these programs to build trust and loyalty while continuing to sell high-sugar or highly processed products. For example, a 2023 Action on Sugar report revealed We need to protect children from targeted marketing and create healthier environments where high-fat, high-sugar foods aren’t the norm,